A 'highway' robbery of cattle dealer and assistants by feigned excise officers near Kwong Tung Hotel at 4am was reported in 1909, which was also near Kennedy Town. (^)
Readers may like to compare this with photos of the same location of following decades. Some of the forms, layout of buildings look rather alike, even though revamps may have occurred in between. This also implies an interesting continuation of same place (west wing), as succeeded by To Yuen Restaurant, c. 1911. (*)
The "5 c" stamp on the right is a French Indo-chine issued stamp, it may be released around 1907 as some stamps website info (link). It is not from the newer set of 1922, as the "5 cents" one is red in colour then.
We also have a tram ticket sample on gwulo before, which includes Whitty Street (here). So date of the photo taken may be c. 1905.
A reasonable range of the hotel's existence is c.1905-1911, at least.
The postcard was printed by the Turko-Egyptian Tobacco Store which had an office in the Old Post Office Building (on Pedder Street, near Queen's Road Central). The postcard came in different shades: light tan, brown and yellow.
The 1910 Rosenstock's Directory for Manila & China has the Kwong Tung Hotel at 190 Connaught Road West. That being said, the building on the right also shows the signage "Kwong Tung Hotel". There was an elevated walkway in between the two buildings.
A 1919 photograph of the building in "Early Hong Kong Tramways" shows the signage "Tao Yuen" (To Yuen) in Chinese characters on the top of the building facing the tram terminus.
Source
1910 Rosenstock's Directory (select "kwong tung" in search to obtain snippet view)
On the left side of the original photo, ship's masts can be seen. This indicates that we have the sea on the left side of the building. We're looking in easterly direction, the hotel likely stood at the junction of Connaught West, DesVoeux West, and Hill Roads on lot 289 (1905 map), today's Hong Kong Plaza. The shape of the hotel is trapezoidal, on the left runs Connaught Road West (the praya), and DesVoeux Road West runs diagonally to the right.
Comments
Kwong Tung Hotel, early 1900s
A 'highway' robbery of cattle dealer and assistants by feigned excise officers near Kwong Tung Hotel at 4am was reported in 1909, which was also near Kennedy Town. (^)
Readers may like to compare this with photos of the same location of following decades. Some of the forms, layout of buildings look rather alike, even though
revamps may have occurred in between. This also implies an interesting continuation of same place (west wing), as succeeded by To Yuen Restaurant, c. 1911. (*)
The "5 c" stamp on the right is a French Indo-chine issued stamp, it may be released around 1907 as some stamps website info (link).
It is not from the newer set of 1922, as the "5 cents" one is red in colour then.
We also have a tram ticket sample on gwulo before, which includes Whitty Street (here). So date of the photo taken may be c. 1905.
A reasonable range of the hotel's existence is c.1905-1911, at least.
Other inputs are much welcome.
________________________________
(^) Hongkong Daily Press, 1909-5-6 p.2
(*) refer also footnotes posted here
Re: Postcard
The postcard was printed by the Turko-Egyptian Tobacco Store which had an office in the Old Post Office Building (on Pedder Street, near Queen's Road Central). The postcard came in different shades: light tan, brown and yellow.
The 1910 Rosenstock's Directory for Manila & China has the Kwong Tung Hotel at 190 Connaught Road West. That being said, the building on the right also shows the signage "Kwong Tung Hotel". There was an elevated walkway in between the two buildings.
A 1919 photograph of the building in "Early Hong Kong Tramways" shows the signage "Tao Yuen" (To Yuen) in Chinese characters on the top of the building facing the tram terminus.
Source
Hill Road junctions, c.1974
Below is one photo took about 70 years later. On the left side, the farthest end shows the same 'west wing'.
Readers may purchase or view the photo directly from getty images.
junction of Connaught West, DesVoeux West, and Hill Roads
On the left side of the original photo, ship's masts can be seen. This indicates that we have the sea on the left side of the building. We're looking in easterly direction, the hotel likely stood at the junction of Connaught West, DesVoeux West, and Hill Roads on lot 289 (1905 map), today's Hong Kong Plaza. The shape of the hotel is trapezoidal, on the left runs Connaught Road West (the praya), and DesVoeux Road West runs diagonally to the right.
To Yuen Signage